Nicolas Dias

Cal had given you Dias's home address as well as the street where he can be found selling his services. You had planned to go straight to his house; he may be more honest with you there, and not simply try to swindle you. But after much deliberation, you decided to try anonymously running into him on the street, before you come right out and knock on his door. You want to get a feel for him as a person before you give away too much of your own agenda. You had disguised yourself before leaving home, hoping that Dias won't make the connection between the man he'll meet tonight and the man who will later come to his house and inquire about the loup-garou.

You adjust the rearview mirror and take a good look at yourself. You've replaced your suit with jeans and a t-shirt; wrinkled and dirty from doing yard work about a week ago. You're wearing flip-flops and your old worn-out Saints cap, pulled down over your eyes to hide your features. Your hair is longer than it usually gets... Perfect. The next time you see Dias, your hair will be cut and you'll be clean-shaven and dressed nicely. Or perhaps you'll be dressed as a police officer. You'll decide that when the time comes.

You park at a 24-hour bistro around the corner from the street in question. You walk inside and order a coffee, to complete the look of a regular late-night wanderer with no specific intentions. As you wait for your coffee, you allow yourself to become absorbed in the character you've decided to play tonight...

Seemingly laid-back, but deeply sad about something... desperate for any kind of help that may actually help. Edgy, but only at choice moments. You will only seem nervous as a response to hope. Dias must have some respect for you, as well as some pity. He must want to help you, but first he'll have to diagnose your problem. Hopefully you'll get him involved in a nice long discussion... about anything.

Sipping your coffee, you begin your stroll down the lively street, sizing up each of the many psychics and mystics and palm readers... waiting for one of them to strike you as a potential Nicolas Dias. Most of them are women. By the time you reach what appears to be the last of them, you've easily narrowed it down to just two possibilities; an old man with long gray hair, covered in jewelry and dark sunglasses, leaning back in his chair smoking a pipe behind an empty table, with no customers... and a man about your age, dressed almost as you are now, giving Tarot readings to a group of young women who are clearly very drunk.

Neither of them is anything like the Nicolas Dias you've been imagining, but Cal never actually gave you a physical description of him. Not even an approximate age...

Dias may not be out tonight, you tell yourself. But if he is, he's one of those two men...

Author guidance

CHARACTERS:You - a police officer by the name of Edward.Cal Beauchamp - a wealthy, respected businessman who you know to be a murderer.Gabrielle - your 19-year-old sister who is engaged to Cal and recently pregnant.Nicolas...

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